GREENSBORO, NC - Most people involved agree on the benefits of Greensboro patrol officers having individually-assigned vehicles that they can drive home, according to the Greensboro News-Record.

But a study recently completed by the police department identifies one major drawback: cost.

An internal study by the police department figures it would cost the city nearly $7 million to equip every patrol officer with a vehicle, a necessary step in instituting a policy allowing officers to drive their patrol vehicles home.

The study, requested by Councilwoman Trudy Wade last fall, recommends buying the vehicles in phases over three years and assigning new take-home vehicles to officers in order of where they live, their rank and seniority.

"I think it's a fine idea, it's just tough to finance," City Manager Mitchell Johnson said.

"Those would represent new, additional expenses over what our expenses are today," Johnson said. "If we had an economy where we had rising revenues, we would look at it. But we're in the opposite situation. It would require reductions in other services in other areas."

"At the end of the day, it's council's decision," Johnson said.

A new Crown Victoria equipped for a police officer costs about $43,000 in its first year. That cost includes the car, radio, lights and computer, the cost of installing police equipment, a depreciation and maintenance cost and $2,300 for fuel.

Maintenance, equipment leases, and fuel in a police car's second year costs $11,225.

The 301 police officers in the patrol bureau now share 160 cars. About 100 of those officers live in Greensboro, so to give those patrol officers take-home vehicles, the department would have to buy 55 new patrol cars. Those cars would cost about $2.4 million to buy and equip. To equip all officers who live in Guilford County, the department would have to buy 100 additional vehicles, totaling $4.3 million.

Officers above the rank of captain, detectives, and officers in special units are already assigned individual vehicles and are allowed to drive their vehicles home. But the city has an unusual policy requiring those officers to pay the city back for the mileage between home and office.

A consultant's study of the police department last year recommended the city enact a take-home vehicle policy for all officers.

The High Point Police Department, the Guilford County Sheriff's Office, and the Highway Patrol all allow sworn law enforcement officers to take their vehicles home.

The recent study, by patrol Capt. Brian Cheek, said allowing officers to drive their duty vehicles home has many benefits, including extending vehicle longevity - patrol cars with one driver are estimated to last twice as long - quicker response in case of emergency, crime deterrence and recruiting new officers.

Assistant Chief Anita Holder, commander of the department's management bureau, said the department hasn't established its priorities for the coming budget year. "We know we have to take a look at that," Holder said.

"One of the big bonuses for adding cars is you increase the perception of police presence in neighborhoods," Holder said.